But in return, the funny dude will package and send an actual troll doll to Intellectual Ventures, the patent-holding firm that manages to claim that it’s in the business of creating “a more efficient and dynamic invention economy” without breaking out in loud, slightly evil-sounding laughter.

Here’s how the funny dude explains it, albeit more eloquently than I ever could:

how it works: you donate $9. we package and ship a troll doll to intellectual ventures. intellectual ventures frowns. we smile.

why trolls, why intellectual ventures: IV is like the 6th grade bully thieving lunch money. but worse. because this lunch money would otherwise go to building the next paypal/farmville mashup.

TechCrunch would be in dire straits without the possibility for a next generation of such mashups to blossom, so please donate. Or not, which is cool too.

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Crunchbase

OverviewIntellectual Ventures is engaged in the business of invention. It owns patent portfolios as well as supplies inventions to innovative companies through various licensing and partnering programs.
The company sells and licenses intellectual property in the areas of agriculture, automotive, communications, computer hardware, construction, consumer electronics, e-commerce, energy, financial services, …